Claudia Chaseling's 'Infiltration' at Slag Contemporary Explores Violence and Isolation Through Abstraction

Claudia Chaseling presented 'Infiltration' at Slag Contemporary from July 13 to August 30, 2012. The exhibition featured a video titled 'Murphy the Mutant' alongside paintings and drawings, with a large wall painting resembling a squid shape. Located at 56 Bogart Street, Unit 005 in Brooklyn, the show was open Thursday to Saturday from 12-6pm. Chaseling's works incorporate fluorescent colors, jagged edges, and forms that extend beyond the canvas onto walls and floors, as seen in pieces like 'High Plane Escape' (2011) and 'Virtual Escape' (2012). The video depicts a genetically aberrant creature named Murphy navigating war-torn Middle Eastern settings before an interplanetary journey, exploring themes of loneliness. Her abstract shapes suggest volcanic or otherworldly landscapes, with brushstrokes that vibrate against the picture plane. The exhibition addresses chance, anomaly, violence, and post-apocalyptic experiences through a blend of narrative and imagistic elements. Chaseling's approach diverges from modernist conventions by employing spontaneous, anxious impulses to push painting beyond traditional boundaries. While some colors and shapes may cancel each other out, the show collectively evokes utopian and dystopian worlds, emphasizing physical movement between them.